“You need any medical attention?” a man asked, and he looked up to the soldier standing behind his little bird.
A little too close.
“Who the fuck are you guys?”
Two men stepped forward, taking their helmets off.
“Mark, I would like you to meet my brothers,” she said, looking up at him with a smile threw her tears.
That threw him.
What the fuck was going on?
“Mark”—one of them held his hand out—“we’ve heard a lot about you. It’s nice to meet you.”
He reached forward and automatically shook his hand, but he didn’t say anything.
He couldn’t.
He was in awe.
“What the fuck have you been up to, little bird?” He growled and she chuckled.
“Ummm …”
“Oh God …” He threw his head back and looked at the ceiling. “I’m not going to be happy am I?” He heard her brothers chuckle.
“I didn’t do anything that bad.” She huffed.
“No, of course not. You didn’t take the man’s truck and drive all the way to Florida by yourself. Then confront your brothers, without anyone there to back you up. And lastly you didn’t demand that you go into battle with said brothers and shoot a cartel member,” one of her brothers shot out, his voice laced with sarcasm, throwing her under the bus.
“Umm …” She scowled at the man over her shoulder.
“Fuck, Winter.” He groaned.
“I had to save you Mark.” She turned back to him.
His mind was turning with questions, but he could see that she was at the end of her rope. His back was starting to burn again, the adrenaline was wearing off, and he knew that now was not the time to go at her.
Later he would talk to her.
Spank her ass so that she couldn’t sit for a week!
But later.
Right now, he would just hold her.
Hold her and soak in the feeling that she was alive.
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead as she leaned into him.
“I love you,” he whispered.
***
Mark was staring at her.
He had been for quite a while.
